Triboelectric Nanogenerators Based on Membranes Comprised of Polyurethane Fibers Loaded with Ethyl Cellulose and Barium Titanate Nanoparticles

High performance is always the research objective in developing triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) for future versatile applications. In this study, a flexible ethyl cellulose/thermoplastic polyurethane (EC/TPU) nanofiber triboelectric layer with barium titanate (BTO) nanoparticles is proposed for high-performance TENGs, in which electrospun EC/TPU nanofiber membranes supply the high-roughness friction surfaces and piezoelectric BTO nanoparticles are further incorporated to boost the electric outputs by the synergistic effect of piezoelectricity and triboelectricity. Consequently, when the content of the BTO nanoparticle is 8 wt % in the EC/TPU (1:4 in weight ratio) nanofibers, the composite membrane displayed a stress of 9.25 MPa and a strain of 275.2%. The corresponding TENG achieves electric outputs of 125.8 V, 34.1 μA, and 1.68 W/m2, much higher than those of an individual piezoelectric nanogenerator or TENG. The TENGs are potentially used to supply energy for commercial LEDs and microelectronics and as self-powered sensors to monitor human physical training conditions. This research provides a guideline for developing TENGs with high performance, which is crucial for their long-term use.